Darren Salter
West Country jump jockey Darren Salter started out as an amateur rider in 1989 and rode for several local trainers. Initial progress was slow but the tide began to turn in 1992. His winners that year included dead-heating on the Jacqui Dawe-trained Jadidh with John Durkan on Pardon Me Mum in an amateur riders’ handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot in October.
West Country jump jockey Darren Salter started out as an amateur rider in 1989 and rode for several local trainers. Initial progress was slow but the tide began to turn in 1992. His winners that year included dead-heating on the Jacqui Dawe-trained Jadidh with John Durkan on Pardon Me Mum in an amateur riders’ handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot in October.
He turned professional on January 1, 1993, and had his first ride in the paid ranks at Exeter that same day on Meldon, trained by Jackie Retter, finishing tenth of eighteen. He didn’t have long to wait for his first winner as a professional, that coming courtesy of the Gordon Edwards-trained The Minder in a novices’ handicap hurdle at Taunton on January 21. Five days later he won a similar race on Crystal Cone for Teignmouth trainer Andy Forte.
He turned professional on January 1, 1993, and had his first ride in the paid ranks at Exeter that same day on Meldon, trained by Jackie Retter, finishing tenth of eighteen. He didn’t have long to wait for his first winner as a professional, that coming courtesy of the Gordon Edwards-trained The Minder in a novices’ handicap hurdle at Taunton on January 21. Five days later he won a similar race on Crystal Cone for Teignmouth trainer Andy Forte.
February brought further success in novice handicap hurdles, firstly on Meldon at Taunton, and then on James The First for Paul Nicholls at Haydock. March was only two days old when he won another Taunton hurdle race, this time on Jadidh, who’d been one of his last winners as an amateur.
February brought further success in novice handicap hurdles, firstly on Meldon at Taunton, and then on James The First for Paul Nicholls at Haydock. March was only two days old when he won another Taunton hurdle race, this time on Jadidh, who’d been one of his last winners as an amateur.
Darren finished that 1992/93 season with a score of 11 wins from 137 rides. All looked set for a successful future but, as things turned out, that would prove to be his most successful campaign.
Darren finished that 1992/93 season with a score of 11 wins from 137 rides. All looked set for a successful future but, as things turned out, that would prove to be his most successful campaign.
He rode only one winner, for Gerald Cottrell, from 41 mounts during an injury-hit 1993/94 season.
He rode only one winner, for Gerald Cottrell, from 41 mounts during an injury-hit 1993/94 season.
Things then began to look up when he joined Rod Millman’s stable, riding four winners in the 1994/95 season.
Things then began to look up when he joined Rod Millman’s stable, riding four winners in the 1994/95 season.
They included Jadidh, by then trained by Chris Wildman, in the Philip Barnard Memorial Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on February 17, 1995.
They included Jadidh, by then trained by Chris Wildman, in the Philip Barnard Memorial Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on February 17, 1995.
However, Darren’s career received a setback in February 1996, when he was banned for 21 days after traces of cannabis were found in a urine sample he’d given at Chepstow in November.
However, Darren’s career received a setback in February 1996, when he was banned for 21 days after traces of cannabis were found in a urine sample he’d given at Chepstow in November.
Rod Millman stood by his 23-year-old conditional jockey and continued to be his main supplier of winning rides. Having ridden four winners in each of the 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons, his score rose to ten from 94 mounts in 1997/98 and eight from 81 mounts in 1998/99. In both cases, seven of them were trained by Millman.
Rod Millman stood by his 23-year-old conditional jockey and continued to be his main supplier of winning rides. Having ridden four winners in each of the 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons, his score rose to ten from 94 mounts in 1997/98 and eight from 81 mounts in 1998/99. In both cases, seven of them were trained by Millman.
However, having lost his conditional status, the arrival of the new millennium spelt the end of Darren Salter’s race-riding career, having accumulated around 50 winners during the 1990s.
However, having lost his conditional status, the arrival of the new millennium spelt the end of Darren Salter’s race-riding career, having accumulated around 50 winners during the 1990s.
He registered his most important success on Kendal Cavalier in the four-mile Miles Gosling Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day 1998.
He registered his most important success on Kendal Cavalier in the four-mile Miles Gosling Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day 1998.